Apparatus for converting petroleum oil



Dec. Z6, 1933. G. EGLOFF APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING PETROLEUM OIL Original Filed May l1, 1922 11 amv @aff Patented Dec.` 26, 1933 APPARATUS Foa ooNvEaTlNG PE'moLEUMY on.

' Gustav Egloff, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Universal Oil Products Company, Chicago, Il l., a cors* poration of South Dakota Original application May 11, 1922, Serial No. 559,981. Divided and this application June 2,

1927. Serial No. 196,023

` 1o claims.

This application is a division of my copending application Ser. No. 559,981, filed May 11, 1922. This invention relates to improvements in an apparatus for'converting petroleum oiland refers more particularly to the conversion of relatively heavy hydrocarbon oils into lighter oils such as gasoline andthe like. The apparatus is preferably operated under pressure of the generated vapors which may be maintained at a uniform pressure throughout the system orV diierential pressures in the different portions or stages oi the apparatus.

The single iigure is a diagrammatic side elevational view of the apparatus. Referring to the drawing, 1 is a primary heating coil mounted in a furnace 2 which is preferably heated by means of gas burners 3. 4 is a secondary heating coil mounted in the furnace 5 which is heated by gas burners 6. The coils are connected to a Vaporizing chamber 7 which throughlines 8 and 9 controlled by valves l0 and 11 respectively, communicate with the secondary reacting chambers 12 and 13. Chamber 12 is connected to dephlegmator 14 by means of a pipe 15, a vapor line 16 connecting the top. of the dephlegmator with water condenser 17 which in turn is connected to receiver 18 by means of pipe 19.

Referring to the operation, the oil to be treated is introduced from any convenient source andischarged by means of the pump 20 through the line 21 to the heating coils 1 where it is raised to a conversion temperature. The oil from the heating coil passes through the transfer line 22 controlled by valve 23 and, is permitted to vaporize in the chamber 7. 'I'he vapors pass off through the line 8 to the secondary. reacting chamber 12. In this chamber a portion of the vapors are separated out in the form of reux condensate while the still volatile portion passes oil to the dephlegmator to be further refiuxed. The condensate from the dephlegmator also collects in the reacting chamber 12 and iiows out through draw-off line 24 controlled Lby valve 25 or may be directed through the line 26 regulated by valve 27 out of the system. 4

The vapors passing over from the top` of the dephlegmator are subjected to a condensing action and are collected as distillate in the re-y ceiver 18 which is equipped with pressure relief valve 28, a liquid draw-oil valve 29, pressure gauge 30, and liquid level gauge 31. The pressure on the system may be regulated by the valve 28 on the receiver, and other valves positioned in different stages of the apparatus.

The condensate rmLthe chamber 12 which is drawn off through the line 24, isv returned with vapors evolved from the residual substance drawn 01T from the vaporizing chamber 7 through the line 9. This unvaporized portionof the oil is passed to the residual chamber 13 wherein due to 60 the reduction of pressure, further vaporization takes place. The volatile hydrocarbon released inthe chamber 13 passes out through the line 32 controlled by valve 33 and is combined with thev reiiux condensate from the chamber 12 in the 65 line 24. I l

These vapors evolved from residuum together with the reiiux condensate are recharged by means of the pump 34 to the heating coil 4 where they are re-treated and passed through line 35 70 controlled by valve 36 and combined with the heated oil in the transfer line 22 entering the vaporizing chamber and undergoing reaction with the fresh incoming oil. Brawl-off valves 37 and 38 are provided in the liquid draw-off lines and 75 the vapor draw-off line of the residual reacting chamber respectively. Valves 39 and 40 are positioned in the lines 16 and 19 respectively for further control of the pressure in the condensing portion of the apparatus.

The vaporization taking place in the chambers 12v and 13 is dependent largely upon a decrease in pressure from that in the vaporizing chamber 7. l

An illustrative run will serve to disclose in more detail the operation of the process. Charging the tubes 1 with mid-continent gas oil of approximately 32 degrees Baum and heating it to a conversion temperature of from 700 to 900 degrees F., and maintaining a pressure thereon of 800 pounds per square inch, thence passing the heated oil in a conversion state to the vaporizing chamber where a reduction of pressure of 200 to 400 pounds is permitted, and passing the volatilized portion to the chamber 12 with a further 95 reduction of pressure of from 300 to 350 pounds and a like reduction in the chamber 13, a high quality distillate relatively low in unsaturates and having a Baume gravity of from 50 to 52 degrees is produced. 100

On further reheating of the distillate bottoms and residuum vapors, a somewhat higher temperature is necessary in the secondary tubes 4 and pressure sufficient to permit the introduction of the heated oil to the transfer line 22 to be intro- 105 duced with the oil from the heating coil 1.

1. An apparatus for cracking hydrocarbon oil comprising a heating coil disposed within a furnace, an enlarged chamber, means for delivering oil from said coil to said enlarged chamber, means for separately removing vaporous products and unvaporized oil from said enlarged chamber, means for introducingthe unvaporized oil from said enlarged chamber to a secondary enlarged chamber, means for maintaining said secondary enlarged chamber under a lower pressure than that of said first enlarged chamber, means for taking off vaporized fractions of the unvaporized oil from said secondary enlarged chamber, a second heating means and means for supplying thereto fractions of the unvaporized oil vaporized in said secondary chamber, and means for returning the heated fractions from said second heating means to the oil being introduced to said first enlarged chamber.

2. An apparatus for cracking hydrocarbon oil comprising a primary heating coil disposed withina furnace. an enlarged vaporizing chamber, means for delivering heated oil from saidA heating coil to said enlarged vaporizing chamber, means for separately removing vaporous products and unvaporized oil from said enlarged vaporizing chamber, means for introducing the vaporous products to a separate enlarged chamber, means for introducing the unvaporized oil to an independent enlarged chamber, means for maintaining a lower pressure on the unvaporized oil in said independent enlarged chamber than is maintained in said enlarged vaporizing chamber, means for withdrawing liquid constituents of the oil separated from the vapors in said separate enlarged chamber, means for withdrawing vaporous products separated from the residual oil in said independent enlarged chamber, and means for uniting such withdrawn liquid oil constituents and vaporous products.

3. An apparatus for converting petroleum oil comprising a heating coil disposed within a furnace, a vaporizing chamber, means for delivering oil from said coil to said vaporizing chamber, a second chamber, means for passing vapors from said vaporizing chamber, to said second chamber, a dephlegmator, means for passing vapors -from said second chamber to said dephlegmator, a. third chamber, means for passing unvaporized oil from said Vvaporizing chamber to said third chamber, means for maintaining a lower pressure on said third chamber than is maintained in said vaporizing chamber, means exterior of the dephlegmator for uniting vapors released from the residual oil in said third chamber with reflux condensate separated from vapors in said dephlegmator.

4. An apparatus for converting petroleum oil comprising a heating coil disposed within a furnace, a vaporizing chamber, means for delivering oil from said coil to said vaporizing chamber, a second chamber, means for passing vapors from said vaporizing chamber to said second chamber, a dephlegmator, means for passing vapors from said second chamber to said dephlegmator, a third chamber, means for passing unvaporized oil from said vaporizing chamber to said third chamber, means for maintaining a lower pressure on said third chamber than is maintained in said vaporizing chamber, means for uniting vapors released from the residual oil in said third chamber with reflux condensate separated from the vapors in said dephlegmator, a second heating coil, means for passing such united vapors and reflux condensate through said heating coil, and means for introducing the material passed through said second heating coil into said vaporizing chamber.

5. Apparatus for the heat treatment of hydrocarbon oil to derive therefrom a motor fuel, comprising in combination, means for subjecting the oil to cracking conditions of temperature and pressure comprising a heating coil and a furnace, means for separating the evolved vapors from the residual oil, means for withdrawing the residual oil and reducing the pressure thereon to permit flash distillation of vapors therefrom, and means for subjecting the flash distilled vapors to cracking conditions more severe than those maintained in the first cracking coil, comprising a separate heating coil mounted in a furnace independent of the first mentioned furnace and adapted to heat the vapors passing through the coil to a higher temperature than the temperature imparted to the liquid oil passing through the first mentioned cracking coil.

6. Apparatus for the heat treatment of hydrocarbon oil to derive therefrom a motor fuel, comprising in combination, means for subjecting the oil to cracking conditions of temperature and pressure comprising a heating coil and a furnace, means for separating the evolved vapors from the residual oil, means for withdrawing the residual oil and'reducing the pressure thereon to permit flash distillation of vapors therefrom, and means for subjecting the flash distilled vapors to cracking conditions more severe than those maintained in the first cracking coil, comprising a separate heating coil mounted in a furnace independent of the first mentioned furnace and adapted to heat the vapors passing through the coil to a higher temperature than the temperature imparted to the liquid oil passing through the first' mentioned cracking coil in combination with means for deriving a reflux condensate from the vapors first evolved and separated from the residual oil, means for introducing said reflux condensate to the flash distilled vapors to pass therewith to the, second cracking coil.

7. Apparatus for the heat treatment of hydrocarbon oil to derive therefrom a motor fuel, comprising in combination, means for subjecting the oil to cracking conditions of temperature and pressure comprising a heating coil and a furnace, means for separating the evolved vapors from the residual oil, means for withdrawing the residual oil and reducing the pressure thereon to permit flash distillation of vapors therefrom, and means for subjecting the flash distilled vapors to cracking conditions more severe than those maintained in the first cracking coil, comprising separate heating coil mounted in a furnace independent of the rst mentioned furnace and adapted to heat the vapors passing through the coil to a higher temperature than the temperature imparted to the liquid oil passing through the first mentioned cracking coil in combination with means for deriving a reflux condensate from the vapors first evolved and separated from the residual oil, means for introducing said reflux condensate to the flash distilled vapors to pass therewith to the second cracking coil, and means for combining the products from the second cracking coil with the products from the first cracking coil to permit common evolution of vapors from the combined products of the two different cracking coils in which different degrees of cracking takes place.

8. An oil cracking apparatus comprising a heating coil and means for heating the same to cracking temperature, an enlarged chamber communicating with said coil, means for forcing oil through said coil into said chamber, means for maintaining superatmospheric pressure on the oil in said coil and chamber, means for removing vapors and unvaporized oil from said chamber, a flash still communicating with said chamber for receiving the removed unvaporized oil, means for maintaining said still under lower pressure than said chamber whereby volatile fractions of said removed unvaporized oil are vaporized therein, means for removing the vaporized fractions from said still, a second heating coil and means for heating the same to cracking temperature, means for passing volatile fractions vaporized in said still through said second heating coil, and means for introducing the heated fractions from said second coil into said chamber.

9. An oil cracking apparatus comprising a heating coil and means for heating the same to cracking temperature, an enlarged chamber communicating with said coil, means for forcing oil through said coil into said chamber, means for means for passing volatile fractions vaporized in n-,

said still through said second heating coil, means for dephlegmating the vapors removed from said chamber, and means for combining reflux condensate formed in the dephlegmating means with said fractions being supplied to said second coll. 10. An oil cracking apparatus comprising a heating coil and means for heating the same to cracking temperature, an enlarged chamber communicating with said coil, means for forcing oil through said coil into said chamber, means for maintaining superatmospheric pressure on the oil in said coil and chamber, means for removing vapors and unvaporized oil from said chamber, a flash still communicating with said chamber for receiving the removed unvaporized oil, means for maintaining lsaid still under lower pressure than said chamber whereby volatile fractions of said removed unvaporized oil are vaporized therein, means for removing the vaporized fractions from said still, a second heating coil and means for heating the same to cracking temperature, and means for passing volatile fractions vaporized in said still through said second heating coil, means for dephlegmating Ithe vapors removed from said chamber, and means for combining reflux condensate formed in the dephlegmating means with said fractions being supplied to said second coil, and means for delivering the heated hydrocarbons from said second coil to said chamber.

GUSTAV EGLOFF. 

